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There’s no need to stop at the drive thru or local take out place to give your kids (or yourself) those yummy, crispy chicken strips that we all love. You can make them at home — without fatty batter or greasy frying oil.

The secret to getting that crispy texture is in the breading – and Japanese-style bread crumbs (called “panko”) or crushed cornflake cereal do the job beautifully!

These strips are a great lunch or dinner menu item. When I serve them for dinner, I usually present them with a variety of different dipping sauces (bbq, low-fat ranch, ketchup, sesame-ginger and peanut) so that everyone can have their favorite. Add some homemade lowfat coleslaw, oven baked french fries, or fresh corn on the cob, and you’ll have a fast and easy, delicious summer meal that the whole family will love.

1 1/4 pound boneless and skinless chicken breasts, cut into strips

1/2 cup lowfat buttermilk

4 cups whole wheat panko (or you could substitute crushed cornflake cereal – crush first, then measure out 4 cups)

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon black pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees and spray a baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray; set aside.

Combine the chicken and buttermilk in a shallow dish, then cover the dish and sit in the refrigerator for 15 minutes.

Put the cereal in a sealed plastic bag and crush with a rolling pin. Transfer the crumbs to a shallow dish. Season the chicken with the salt and a few grinds of pepper. Dip each piece of chicken in the cereal to fully coat and arrange on the baking sheet. Bake until cooked through, about 8 minutes. Leave the chicken on the baking sheet to cool slightly. It will become crispier.

Serve with the mustard sauce.

For the Honey Mustard Sauce:

1/2 cup Dijon mustard

1 tablespoon fat free mayonnaise

3 tablespoons honey

In a small bowl, stir together the mustard and mayonnaise until smooth, then stir in the honey and serve at room temperature.

Makes 4 Servings. Per Serving: 322 calories, 4 g total Fat, 0.5 g saturated fat, 0 g trans fat, 31 g carbohydrates, 3 g fiber, 2 g added sugar, 36 g protein, 127 mg sodium, 72 mg cholesterol